So if I use an electric hairdryer in the shower...
on
Can Software Kill?
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· Score: 2, Interesting
...even though the "eula" told me not too, is the hair dryer company responsible if they didn't design the grounding well enough to save me from myself?
Come to think of it, the power company never warned me that all that electricity the sell me could be dangerous... it was here when I got the house. Maybe it's in the fine print on my electric bill, but I think most of that is how they can track me down to collect money from me if I don't pay...
Seriously - I think it depends on the software. If you use consumer grade software with a EULA that says "this software is good for nothing, use at your own risk"... well fine.
I seriously doubt the firmware for an X-Ray machine has a EULA like that, but then, I didn't RTFA. I am sure critical software doesn't come with the usual global-deny-all-responsibility clauses.
Two final thoughts
For somethings, who would you trust more? Dr. McFeelgood with his finger on a button and a stopwatch, or software control?
If you can't mathematically prove the software is incorrect (by source code inspection), how can you prove it was a particular software in a multi-software environment, an intermittant hardware fault or a cosmic ray flipping the wrong bit?
Yes, on that particular boat. It had a V8, very much like a car engine. I imagine having a closed radiator system is much less maintenance than a sea-water-rusting-your-engine type cooling system.
My dad got a good deal on a boat because there was oil in the radiator - he convinced the boat broker that it could be the sign of a serious problem. Got a good price, cleaned it up and then...um maintained a nice, undamaged boat for several years.
Hmmm, slip fees, painting, etc... maybe "good deal" and "bought a boat" don't belong together.:-)
I'd like to see the price of coffee makers go down. Those things seem so simple, I wonder why they are so expensive. A clock radio seems slightly more expensive to produce than coffee maker. Yet the prices are very similar.
I'd like to see the price of a good steak go down. Cows seem so simple, I wonder why meat costs so much. A cheap calculator is far more complicated to manufacture. Yet the prices are very similar.
The hardware was fine - I did not use a Diebold touch screen. I am not sure what it was, but it worked flawlessly.
After checking in, the poll workers gave me a 4 digit number to enter so that I could get the right ballot (it's a primary so the ballot varies by party)
The hardware I used was very easy to operate - it had a big round twisty knob that you spin until the item you want is highlighed, then you hit the enter button. There are also previous, next, and cancel buttons which only retards would need to use.
When you are done, it summarizes your vote choices.
Finally, you press the red "cast ballot" button.
It was a piece of cake to use.
That was the good part. The bad part is how the hell do I know what it reported?
I am in California and at least they say that by 2006 we will have paper trails. Here here.
Yes, it is just you. I knew everything, once - it came to me in a flash of insite... then, incoming email chimed for my attention, I read some spam, had another beer and read Slashdot until something on TV caught my eye.
Sorry for the typo. I metioned the election of individuals in my post, but this is slashdot - so I assume only do you not need to RTFA, but you don't even need to RTFP:-)
I agree - democracy is the best of the lot, but how can we improve it, in practicality?
All those spokes were made of countless black monoliths that were needed for somethin on Jupiter.
Why is the vote of the illerterate that important?
on
Evoting in India, Maryland
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· Score: 3, Insightful
Face it, if the illerterate masses are not read up on the issues they are voting on. How can they even know what they are voting on?
If it is a vote for an elected official, at least one can judge on what that person has said to them - via personal, radio, and TV appearences. Not perfect, but something.
What about other issues? What does an illertarte really know? At least the literate can read the text of a ballot measure [not that many do].
In the end, what is the value of an uninformed vote?
If radio/TV ads are as deceptive in high-illeteracey democracies such as India, as they are here in the US - it the perfect argument against illiterate voters.
I don't have an answer, most alternatives are also wrong. Just a question...
Slashdot Mirror
Come to think of it, the power company never warned me that all that electricity the sell me could be dangerous... it was here when I got the house. Maybe it's in the fine print on my electric bill, but I think most of that is how they can track me down to collect money from me if I don't pay...
Seriously - I think it depends on the software. If you use consumer grade software with a EULA that says "this software is good for nothing, use at your own risk"... well fine.
I seriously doubt the firmware for an X-Ray machine has a EULA like that, but then, I didn't RTFA. I am sure critical software doesn't come with the usual global-deny-all-responsibility clauses.
Two final thoughts
For somethings, who would you trust more? Dr. McFeelgood with his finger on a button and a stopwatch, or software control?
If you can't mathematically prove the software is incorrect (by source code inspection), how can you prove it was a particular software in a multi-software environment, an intermittant hardware fault or a cosmic ray flipping the wrong bit?
Seem like I already use a brain pacemaker: just like the one described here
I am sure something useful will come, eventually, but don't hold your breath waiting for anything cool to buy any time soon.
Hmmm, slip fees, painting, etc... maybe "good deal" and "bought a boat" don't belong together. :-)
But page 5? C'mon, This is slashdot - don't tell me you RTFAs, too?
I stand corrected. Thanks.
"<p>"
D'oh.
" - use as many times as you wish.
My search for "web browswer" comes up with something called "MSN Explorer" in the number one slot on all platforms.
[Just in case you were wondering, I have lots of computers, and they all suck.]
See my followup to the post after yours to see the top 5 I see.
1. search.msn.com
2. www.searchenginewatch.com
3. www.dogpile.com
4. www.google.com
5. www.altavista.com
etc...
If you see something different the Internet is broken, just as I have suspected all along.
MSN lists itself first, and google is fourth - higher in the rankings than it is on google itself.
I'd like to see the price of a good steak go down. Cows seem so simple, I wonder why meat costs so much. A cheap calculator is far more complicated to manufacture. Yet the prices are very similar.
[insert your nonsensical comparison here]
After checking in, the poll workers gave me a 4 digit number to enter so that I could get the right ballot (it's a primary so the ballot varies by party)
The hardware I used was very easy to operate - it had a big round twisty knob that you spin until the item you want is highlighed, then you hit the enter button. There are also previous, next, and cancel buttons which only retards would need to use.
When you are done, it summarizes your vote choices.
Finally, you press the red "cast ballot" button.
It was a piece of cake to use.
That was the good part. The bad part is how the hell do I know what it reported?
I am in California and at least they say that by 2006 we will have paper trails. Here here.
Oh well, I guess I will be selling excess bandwidth back to the power company along with any extra power.
When do these winter clouds move out?
Don't drink before slashdotting. D'oh.
Eeeeew, is that a plug of earwax?
How hard would it be for all ISPs to scan their own customers for open mail relays?
There, that ought to stir up more comments by those who know more than I.
Three Months after you buy a storage solution that is almost as massive, but was twice the price. D'oh.
Now, I forgot what it was that I thought I knew.
I agree - democracy is the best of the lot, but how can we improve it, in practicality?
What? Who the hell authorized putting the swallow tube in the same path as the breath tube?
Anyhow, yes, I agree, if you are voting for your representative anyone bothering to vote has as good a chance as anyone else of "getting it right".
All those spokes were made of countless black monoliths that were needed for somethin on Jupiter.
If it is a vote for an elected official, at least one can judge on what that person has said to them - via personal, radio, and TV appearences. Not perfect, but something.
What about other issues? What does an illertarte really know? At least the literate can read the text of a ballot measure [not that many do].
In the end, what is the value of an uninformed vote?
If radio/TV ads are as deceptive in high-illeteracey democracies such as India, as they are here in the US - it the perfect argument against illiterate voters.
I don't have an answer, most alternatives are also wrong. Just a question...